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Cats And Hairballs – Cat Info

One may often encounter hairball problems with cats. Undigested hair that builds up inside a cats body are called “cat hairballs”. There are only 2 ways for a cat to get rid of the hair caught inside – with the aid of the digestive system or coughing it out. Since cats have rough tongues which they use vigorously to clean their fur, their stomach collects dead hair in large quantities. It is common for hair to be processed through their digestive system and find its way out with other materials that “flows down the drain”. From time to time too much hair will pile up inside the body, blocking the paths in such a way that an alternative path must be used.

Cats having long fur a lot of times develop more hairballs than other cats. If a cat cannot rid itself of cat hairballs through vomiting or through the digestive system, it might suffer from a blockage in the intestine or stomach. Left untreated for too long, it can be life-threatening. Without surgery, that blockage caused by a hairball might be deadly.

Although cats and hairballs are a common sight, one must pay attention in order to avoid complications.
Hairballs, while hard to avoid, are fairly easy to deal with. Brushing your cat and helping with its grooming lowers the chance of it swallowing a lot of hair. Brush strokes help get rid of a lot of that dead, loose hair. The diet of your cat could be helpful in eliminating hairballs from its system. Some manufacturers produce cat food containing special oils , like mineral oil, that help break up the hairballs, allowing for easier digestion. Shedding hair is also minimized because the oils help strengthen it.

Special treats for your cats containing petroleum products may also help fighting cat hairballs. These petroleum-based treats help coat the tummy and digestive system for smooth passage through the body. There are several possibilities to administer these petroleum-based treats. Some cats may be fed simply by spoon. With others, try putting some food on their snout and see if they will lick it off. If these methods fail, put some on their paws and watch them lick the treats off that way. If you follow this advice you will encounter the cats and hairballs phenomenon less and less.

When a blockage caused by cat hairballs will happen is impossible to predict, yet once it happens you must look for complication symptoms. If the cat coughs for 24 hours with no relief, if it lacks appetite, and can not release his bowel movements you must act immediately. Take it to a vet for surgery, because this may be the only way to remove the blockage. Keep a close eye on your cat and take preventive measures.

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